The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-28
AN HEROIC SOLDIER DUDE.
Vow Brave Little Dandy" Died for His Flag.

J 'Llttle Dandy Jne OOys chileu niIi'
He joined our company at Vicksburg
just before the siege, and none OF us
ielt enough interest in him to make
any inquiries, says the Atlanta Con-
stitution. His extreme youth-he
was about sixteen-would have excit'
ed our sympathy under other circum-
stances, but the warworn veterans IN
the trenches had no use for the curled
iarllngs OF the parlor, and Little
Dandy's" appearance was against
! him.
The lad wore the gray uniform OF n
private, but it was OF the very finest
material, finer than anything worn by
our Generals. His buttons had an
unsoldierly glitter. He sported white
handkerchiefs, carried n pocket mir
ror, and every morning he combed
and curled his golden locks until they
looked like girls tresses.
Hello, Little Dandy" yelled the
soldiers whenever the young fellow
passed them.
TO the rough salutation he always
responded with bow and n smile,
but his soft ways did not win favor.
When we met him in town we passed
him by without notice, and i'll camp
we let him alone. Little Dandy was
proud after fashion, too proud tone
tce the many Sights heaped upon
him. He went through the routine
duties without complaint, but nothing
could induce him to abandon his.pock-
ct mirror and his fancy toilets.
The siege was well under way, and
we were no better acquainted with
Little Dandy than ut first. He shar.
ed our meals OF mouldy corn bread
and mule meat without murmur
and it must be admitted that this
somewhat raised him in our estima-
ton. But we still had to learn what
a true heart beat behind those glitter
! ing buttons.
An angle of the enemys works was
! dangerously close to oIr entrench-
ments, and we had to keep our heads
well sheltered. When we raised n hat
on the muzzle OF musket it was in
varably riddled with bullets. One
morning we found our men being pick
| ed up by IN unseen sharpshooter at
/ the rate OF five or six an hour. This
astonished us. because We were all
! keeping under cover, and the men who
were killed all occupied wellprotected
positions.
Where was the sharpshooter? This
was the uppermost question in every
mind. We we've not long in satisfying
ourselves ON his point. Just outside
! the angie OF the Federal works stood
a giant OAK, whose leaiy top afforded
an admirable covert for riieman. A
viglant scrutiny convinced us that
the man who was doing such deadly
work in our ranks was concealed in
this tree. TO reach it he must have
made his way there during the night
and he would have to remain there all
day.
But we conld not stand it even one
! day. His aim was so unerring that
every time his rifle cracked n Confeder-
! ate bit the dust. We tried rafting
discharge oil musketry, but moment
/
AID another OF our comrades fell.
1t was evident that from our posi-
ton it was almost impossible to hit
the Federal rilleman. II we succeed
ed in bringing him down it would be
| by some lucky random shot. Posi-
bly, man outside the works would be
able to draw a bead on our wary foe
man, but he would be under the guns
OF the enemy. and there would be u
! thousand chances against him.
/ "Ill kill him or die" cried shrill
voice.
Good God It's little dandy"
shouted dozen men.
At the risk OF our lives we peeped
over our breastworks.
Little Dandy had already made his
way to the open space between the
works. and was edging around the
right of the tree. The Federals saw
what he was up to, and fired broad
side. When the smoke cleared away
and they saw the boy, with n flushed
] face and streaming hair, aiming his
gun at the top OF the old oak, there
was n tremendous cheer. II rolled
along both lines. the hoarse Federal
shout mingled with the wild rebel
yell"
Bang
A man in blue came tumbling and
crashing through the tree and struck
the ground with dull thud.
1t was the sharpshooterl
Another cheer rent the air. but this
| time it came from the Confederates
alone. A sheet of flame blazed along
the Federal works, but when the